67 years ago

67 years ago...1944...World War II was raging...our young men, submissive to the call of duty were dying by the hundreds...and hundreds are summed in thousands...

this blog is about Rolland my great uncle...as many in that generation, both of my grand-mothers had brothers die in battle during World War II...death was common...if not your family, the house next door or good friends experienced great loss...and with great loss comes great sorrow...

Birth: Apr. 30, 1919
Death: Sep. 16, 1944
Great Dunmow
Essex, England



Lt. Arvil Rolland Woosley, 26, bombardier and navigator on a B-26 Marauder, based in England, was killed in action on Sept. 16. He had just reached England and was on his first mission. Visiting his sister, Mrs. Noling Walker of route 5, in July, he had casually remarked, "It would just be my luck to not get in more than one mission." Lieutenant Woosley, who was educated in the public schools at Clear Creek, was working as a fireman for the Union Pacific railroad at Oakland, Cal., when he was inducted into the Army in January, 1942. After a year in the Army he was transferred to the AAF at his request and was trained at Barksdale Field, Shreveport, La. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Woosley of Oakland, Cal.; two brothers, Loral D. of Oakland and Pvt. William Robert Woosley of Kingman, Ariz.; and one sister, Mrs. Madeline Walker of route 5. (The News Leader, Springfield, MO, Sunday Morning, Oct. 8, 1944)


Lt. Arvil R. Woosley
Funeral services for Lt. Arvil R. Woosley, who was killed in action in England. September 16, 1944, will be at 2:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon in the High Street Fundamental Baptist church, with the Rev. W. E. Dowell officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn under direction of Klingner. Pallbearers will be Kenneth Scott, Henry Turner, Billy Murray, Don Underwood, Leon and Vincil Bryant. Woosley, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Woosely, route 4, was 25 years old at the time of his death. (Springfield Leader-Press, Monday, August 30, 1948, p. 10, Col. 4)

Lt. Arvil Woosley was a member of the 386th Bombardment Group, 554th Bomb Sqaudron. The b26.com website has detals about the Turner Crash on Sept. 16, 1944.

later from 3rd St..